An unprecedented level of "precision strikes" against Taliban
leaders is driving the insurgents to the negotiating table, Britain's most
senior commander in Helmand has said.

For the last six months in Afghanistan hundreds of raids have been made against all levels of the insurgent leadership as part of a "kill or capture" policy.

But in Helmand, where the insurgency has been most violent, the British regular forces and unmanned drones have been targeting the Taliban forcing them to "examine their options", Brig James Chiswell told The Daily Telegraph.

While high level talks continue between the Afghan government and senior Taliban, those insurgents fighting on the front line are being forced to consider what is called "reintegration" in which they give up arms and return to the local community.

"I think we are absolutely right to hit the Taliban hard," said Brig Chiswell, the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, which deployed to Helmand last month, "It's about writing down the insurgency, demoralising it, playing it into the reintegration bracket, making it absolutely clear that if you want to take up arms it's a dangerous business."

The strikes were making "people think about reintegrating" and weakening the Taliban.

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In the last 10 days British forces have captured the Taliban shadow governor in the former stronghold of Nad-e-Ali and killed the local military commander. Overall figures showed that a total of 272 insurgents were killed or captured across Afghanistan between November 15 and 21, including 19 Taliban commanders.

"The process will continue," Brig Chiswell warned from his headquarters in Lashkar Gah. "In terms of precision targeting we are playing our part alongside specialist task forces against those individuals who are identified as insurgent leaders or key insurgent facilitators." He added: "In terms of intelligence I am seeing some of the mid level commanders are considering whether they want to come back and carry the day or whether they want to do something else." While there was no "critical mass" of Taliban giving up the "odd insurgent has come to the gate saying I want to get out of the insurgency".

With the Taliban apparently worn down the atmosphere among locals was changing with more finding the courage to eject insurgents from their area.

Brig Chiswell also disclosed that a pilot project for turning young men away from the Taliban is to be introduced for the first time in Helmand by forming an "armed neighbourhood watch".

The Afghan Local Police initiative, introduced by the American commander Gen David Petraeus, could play a key role in denying the Taliban recruits "in that we are all competing for the same young men".

More than 100 men from several villages will be given three weeks training, vetted by national police, swear allegiance to the Afghan government and paid 60 per cent of regular police wages (about £100). The force could begin patrolling their local communities by January.

Similarities have been drawn with the Sons of Iraq policy introduced in Iraq in which Sunni insurgents decided to join the Americans to defeat al Qaeda.

Brig Chiswell said he felt the Afghans understood there was now a "real opportunity" to improve their lives but if they fail to take it "they will miss that bus. " "It's not everyday that this level of investment comes into a country and it is not going to be there forever, it can't be."